At length our efforts were crowned with success, and after a good supper, we laid, or rather sat down to sleep; for the nature of the ground obliged us to pass the night in a demi-erect position, with our backs against a bank of earth.

The thermometer was 16 deg.

at six P.M.
After enjoying a more comfortable night's rest than we had expected, we set off at day-break: the thermometer then standing at 18 deg..

The ground was covered with snow, the small lakes were frozen, and the whole scene had a wintry appearance.

We got on but slowly at first, owing to an old sprained ancle, which had been very troublesome to me for the last three days, and was this morning excessively painful.